


"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."

by thoughtsthatfester



Category: Emma Approved
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-10
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2017-12-29 01:22:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/999196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thoughtsthatfester/pseuds/thoughtsthatfester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>drabbles taking place before, during, and after emma approved</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. her photographer

“Alex, the lighting is better over here,” she said dragging him over to another spot. They had been to three different locations, none of which suited her needs for this photo shoot.

“I know what I’m doing.”

“Just make sure you get all the details of the outfit. Make sure you get the flowers in the background. I want the softness of the flowers juxtaposed with the leather jacket. And make sure you zoom in on all the interesting outfit details.”

“What would you like me to specifically focus on? If we can get this done quickly, that’d be great because I’ve got very important work to do.”

“Just start off with a full body shot with the flowers in the background and then just get all the details. I’ll decide later.”

“Seems kind of pointless to take a ton of photos before deciding what you even want to focus on in the blog post.”

“Alex, stop complaining. I’m the creative one, remember?”

“Yes Emma, I know. Let’s just get this finished.”

“Excuse me. This is a very important aspect of my personal brand. It cannot be rushed.”

“I know. Emma, what you do is very important, and I mean that, but you still haven’t chosen an assistant and it’s adding to my workload. Your assistant should be the one taking these photos.”

“If I promise to look at the applications today will you stop complaining?”

“Yes Emma.”

“Thank you,” she began to smile and he snapped a picture. Her half smile caused him to smile too as he snapped more pictures. Later, when the pictures were up, he wasn’t surprised to see that was one of the ones she had chosen. She did look beautiful.


	2. a shopping trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tag to episode three. emma takes alex shopping for new khakis after harriet ruins his with a latte.

“Emma,” he said entering her office.

“Hello, Mr. Knightley,” she said, not even bothering to look up at him.

“Emma, did you have Harriet Smith spill a latte on me on purpose?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she replied avoiding eye contact.

“Well, you got your wish. I need new pants.”

“Good. It seems as if the spilled latte is already making your life better,” she smirked, now looking him straight in the eye.

“Emma,” he began.

“Come on,” she interrupted. “I don’t trust you to buy new pants on your own. We’re going shopping.”

“Emma, it’s the middle of the work day.”

“Exactly. Normal people take a lunch break right about now Mr. Knightley.”

“Fine. The quicker we go, the quicker we can get back to work.”

“Can I drive?” she asked.

“Absolutely not.”

“Fine,” she sighed. “But I get to pick the store.”

“Of course.”

A half an hour later, the two of them were walking through the men’s section of Neiman Marcus. She went through the racks with her trained eye as he answered emails from his phone.

“What about these?”

“They’re a bit slim cut, don’t you think?”

“That’s the style Alex. Trust me.”

“Fine, I’ll try them on.”

“Good boy. Come on, into the dressing room we go.”

Knightley entered the dressing room and Emma sat on a bench outside waiting for him.

“Shopping for your boyfriend?” A saleslady asked approaching her. “Do you need any help finding sizes?”

“Just shopping for my friend,” Emma smiled, “and no, I’ve got in covered, thank you though.”

The saleslady disappeared, clearly put off. Emma knew what was best for Alex, not some saleslady.

“Are you almost done in there?” she called to him.

“Emma. Don’t make me come out in these. They are very slim cut.”

“Alex, come out here right now!”

“Fine,” he said opening the door. They were very slim cut.

“Turn for me,” she commanded and he did. “I think they look great on you.”

“I can’t wear these.”

“Why not?”

“They’re so tight.”

“But you’re pulling them off!”

“Emma, please go get me another pair.”

“Fine,” she sighed. She returned a few minutes later with less slim cut khakis. When he emerged from the dressing room, she found they looked remarkably similar to the pair she had Harriet ruin earlier that morning. They were slightly better and that was the best she was going to get from him. She couldn’t force him to wear anything he didn’t want to wear. He was stubborn like that.

“And how are these?” he asked, clearly looking for her approval.

“They’re Emma approved,” she told him and he smiled. Though they weren’t her first choice, she couldn’t help but notice that they did make his ass look great, not that she’d ever admit it to him.


	3. fixing things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I try to fix the problems in the fourth episode

“How was your meeting with Annie?” he asks, sitting down next to her at the bar for their customary after work drink.

“She’s got cold feet. She says she wants to cancel the wedding.” Emma doesn’t look up at him. 

“And how are you doing?”

“I’m holding out hope. She told me she wanted me to cancel things, but she hasn’t even spoken to Ryan about it yet. She can’t cancel the wedding without telling her fiancé.”

“Emma, you can’t disobey her orders.” He says before ordering a beer.

“I think she’s going to change her mind. She says she doesn’t want a bad marriage, but you’ve seen the two of them together.”

“On paper, they make an excellent couple.”

“And in real life as well.”

“Yes, I’ll give you that, but you can’t just ignore her wishes.”

“Alex. I’ve known Annie for a long time. This is all she has ever wanted. This is her dream. Ryan Weston is exactly the man to best suit Annie. They were made for each other.”

“Emma, I know you’re doing what you think is best for her, but you have to listen to her. If she thinks something is wrong, then something is probably wrong. Why is she worried about having a bad marriage?”

“I didn’t ask,” she realizes, “I am a terrible friend. I need to talk to her right now.” She pulls out her phone and leaves Knightley alone at the bar. He sips his beer in silence and wait for her. 

“I’m going to go over there right now,” she says as she returns.

“Now?”

“Yeah. I’m going to grab a bottle of wine and order some food. I have a feeling this is going to be a long story.”

“Please hear her out.”

“I know. I’m going to. I really do want the best for her.”

“I know you do. Tell her I said hello.”

“I will.”

“And Emma.”

“Yes?”

“Call me when you’re home. I’d like to hear how things went.”

“Okay.” She smiles. She’s half convinced he asks her to call him just so he knows she got home safely, but she knows he’s just as curious about Annie’s wedding as she is. Annie is his friend too. She’ll find out what’s wrong and she’ll fix it because she’s Emma Woodhouse and that’s what she does. She’s going to accept nothing but the best for Annie, whether that includes Ryan or not.


	4. green dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tag to episode 18. alex can't stop thinking about how emma looks in that green wrap dress.

He fights the urge to stare as she leaves. She’s wearing a tight green wrap dress that highlights her every curve. She has no idea the effect she’s having on him. He’ll never dare mention it. She’s beautiful; he won’t deny that. He loves to look at her. She is stunning and she knows it. He doesn’t need to tell her that. 

He tries not to think about how she looks in the dress as he catches up on paperwork. He tries not to think about how she looks in the dress as he drives home. He tries not to think about her when he goes to the gym or when he’s trying to fall asleep (it’s certainly not helping). 

He’s not sure when Emma began to invade his thoughts, but he finds her there more often than he should. She’s his best friend and this is inappropriate. He’s a gentleman and he knows he shouldn’t be thinking about her like this, but he can’t help it.

For all Emma’s faults, he’s never been able to find a single thing wrong with her physical appearance. He’s well aware of his physical desire for her – he has been for a while. He’ll never act on it. His friendship with Emma is more important than anything, even his own desires.


	5. 'We're Fine" Tag to episode 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We're fine" Tag to episode 18

Even after he leaves, he’s not entirely sure he believes Emma when she tells him they’re fine. Lately it feels like there’s a growing distance between them. They’ve been fighting, well not really fighting, but fighting all the same. They’ve always bantered and disagreed but something seems different. They’ve never had a major disagreement about how to run their business before. They compliment each other well; she handles the creative stuff, he handles the business side. It works for them. 

He knows they’re not fine. Or at least he’s not. It’s not her he’s mad at though. He is frustrated and worried about her. He can see this entire Elton business blowing up in her face and he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want to her to fail, he’s never wanted that, even if it would teach her a lesson. It’s just, well, he doesn’t like Elton. Something about State Senator Elton rubs him the wrong way. It’s more than just the fact that he’s a politician and politicians can’t be trusted. 

There’s something about Elton’s face when he tells him he’s excited to be working with Emma that really irks him. There’s something slimy about him. He doesn’t like him. Elton has a face that begs to be punched and he’d really like to be the one to do it.


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Alex's thoughts when he's sandwiched between Emma and Elton in the holiday party episode

He knows he’s right. He’s been watching Elton all night and he knows that he’s not into Harriet. He’s into Emma, obviously so. He’s pushy about it too, and every bad quality he thought he saw in Elton is coming out. Emma’s convinced that she’s right, but he knows she’s wrong. She can see the signs, she just hasn’t seen them yet. If she hadn’t seen so set on Harriet and Elton together she would have seen just how obvious Elton’s crush on her was. 

And then Elton walks in and shoves him over. It’s amusing, watching the whole thing go down. Elton is annoying and pushy, but in a slick way only a politician can be. Emma has a plan, of course, but she can’t make Elton like Harriet through sheer force of will.

He’s glad Harriet isn’t here to see this all go down. Harriet is a sweet girl, but incredibly naïve. She allowed Emma to manipulate her into turning down Martin. She allowed Emma to convince her to set her sights on a state Senator who would never set her sights on a recent college graduate with student loans and a working class background. He doesn’t know Elton very well, but he’s observed him enough to figure out that this guy has presidential ambitions. Elton needs a wife with an ivy-league education and political connections. He wants someone like Emma.

He sees that the text on Emma’s phone isn’t from Harriet and he smirks at her manipulation. Annie is helping her. Annie can’t say no to Emma – but then again, he can’t really say no to Emma either. Despite everything, she means well. She truly believes she’s helping Harriet, even if she is delusional. But, Elton doesn’t respond in the way Emma hoped. 

He sees everything crashing down around her. He knows she knows it to, which is why he takes the opportunity to get rid of Elton. 

There are so many things he wants to say, but he doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to hear it. He knows she’s beating herself up over it. She really cares about Harriet and wanted the best for her. 

He tries not to leave them alone together for the rest of the night, but there’s a five minute window when Emma’s alone with him. He can see afterwards that she’s upset and he’s certain that Elton made a move. He doesn’t bring it up because he knows it’s probably the last thing she wants to talk about. Instead, he kisses her on the cheek and sends her home with her father. 

If she wants to talk about it, she’ll bring it up.


End file.
